Nobody radiates cool-mom vibes like Jessica Alba, and her secret is incredibly simple. The right sneakers give any outfit a laid-back city-girl appeal; Alba rocks these sporty Adidas kicks that look expensive, yet are on sale for only $57 on Amazon.

During a recent outing in Los Angeles, Alba wore a bomber jacket, baggy jeans and timeless black-and-white sneakers that tied the whole thing together. Her shoes pair well with anything, from denim pants to billowy dresses, so we won’t be surprised if she wears them again next week. We will be!

Get the Adidas Streetalk Sneakers for $57 (was $75) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

These Streetalk Adidas sneakers have a sleek flat silhouette that nods to vintage skater style without trying too hard. They’re the shoe equivalent of a great white T-shirt: simple, versatile and somehow always right. And they deliver on the details. The leather-like finish makes them more elevated than average gym shoes, especially in Alba’s simple monochrome color palette.

Related: Kate Hudson‘s Slipper-Like Ballet Flats Are the Summer ‘It‘ Look

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Chunky sneakers are already on their way out in favor of sleek black flats, but Kate Hudson dialed up the polish and added so much comfort. Her knit flats are basically elevated slippers, and we found the expensive look on sale for just $33! Spotted leaving an Italian restaurant in Santa Monica, the actress wore […]

Better yet, the soft textile lining is built for actual wear, as is the rubber outsole that provides grip without bulk. One happy shopper wrote, “Bought these specifically to walk around Chicago on and can verify they are the most comfortable tennis shoes I’ve ever owned.”

Another five-star fan shared, “They’re comfortable for everyday wear and go with almost everything because of the simple black design. They feel lightweight and easy to walk in, and I like that they look sporty without being bulky. Nice casual shoes for errands or everyday use.”

Alba occasionally reaches for designer, but her latest outfit proves the staying power of classic Adidas sneakers. If there were ever a time to add low-key, hardworking sneakers to your rotation, this is it. They’re a rare style pick that gets better with time.

Score them on mega sale before they’re gone!

Get the Adidas Streetalk Sneakers for $57 (was $75) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

Related: Andie MacDowell Wore Shiny Silver Loafers — Now ‘It‘ Girls Are, Too

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Metallics and slip-on shoes are both trending right now. Leave it to Andie MacDowell to combine the two. Ever since she stepped out in shiny silver loafers last month, ‘it’ girls are copying the look for everything from casual errands to fancy dinners. We’re doing the same — for under $50! Metallic loafers are one […]

By Chris Sawin
| Updated 3 minutes ago

A*P*E is one of those strange and horny films from the 1970s that you wonder why, in the present day, it exists in the first place. Originally rushed into production to compete with the John Guillermin directed 1976 remake of King Kong (the one starring Jeff Bridges), A*P*E is a co-production between South Korea and the United States and was originally shot and presented in 3-D.

Co-written and directed by Paul Leder with special effects by Park Kwang Nam, A*P*E is considered by many to be a Z-movie; so low budget that it’s a complete failure. The film’s entire budget was $23,000, while the special effects budget for the miniature buildings was only $1,200. Shot in just 14 days, A*P*E is mostly a direct ripoff of King Kong.

Not To Be Confused With King Kong

The story is that a 36-foot ape has been sedated and captured with the intent of showcasing it across the world. He escapes and causes havoc as he makes his way from the sea to Seoul. There’s also an actress in a red dress that he kidnaps on two separate occasions and obsesses over.

The film was originally advertised as The New King Kong before being slapped with a $1.5 million lawsuit by RKO Pictures. The film’s title was then changed to Super Ape and then A*P*E; a play on M*A*S*H and an abbreviation for “Attacking Primate MonstEr.”

The tagline was also changed to “Not to be confused with King Kong.” South Korea and other foreign countries were able to keep the references to King Kong with alternative titles such as Super King Kong and King Kong Returns. Other titles for the film include Ape (without the asterisks), King Kong’s Great Counterattack, Hideous Mutant, and Attack of the Giant Horny Gorilla.

Mr. Canadian Tuxedo Saves The Day

The film opens on an oil tanker in the dead of night, out at sea. Two shipmates discuss the giant gorilla, claiming that he’s been sedated enough to be out cold for five days and that his exhibition will begin at Disneyland, of all places. The ape wakes up and destroys the tanker in an impressive explosion. He then stands up in the middle of the water, clearly showcasing a wet ape suit as it struggles to cover up the actor’s wet arms and neck.

He proceeds to dance-wrestle a shark. He cradles it in his arms, and weaves back and forth in the water with it as if it’s a toddler that he’s teaching to swim. Soon after, he tears the shark’s jaw from its face. The ape then arrives on land and destroys a town in a fiery blaze. He stomps around all of these destroyed homes and throws explosive barrels around. One of these “barrels” is thrown into the camera, and it’s noticeable that they’re just a pile of unlabeled tin cans (think Spaghetti-O cans with the label ripped off).

An American actress named Marilyn Baker (Joanna Kerns in her film debut) has traveled to South Korea to make her first foreign picture. The picture in question, based on the scenes that are shown being shot, is filled with nothing but assault scenes. Her sort-of non-serious boyfriend, Tom Rose (Rod Arrants), decides to surprise her and is the first person to welcome her off the plane.

Tom is cringingly horny, by the way. With his curly white man afro and doused from head to toe in a blue jean jacket and bell bottoms, Tom is DTF and wants Marilyn to blow off her shooting schedule so she can Donkey Kong all night long. He proceeds to be all over her in the car while she pretends to be interested in the buildings they drive past.

Size And Scale Are Merely Guidelines

The film has a funny way of showing scale, as well. A full-size cow is shown before the film jumps to the ape, who steps over what is clearly a tiny cow figure. A man is shown hang gliding one moment, and in the next scene, a tiny version of him is seen by the ape’s head. A giant hand is used to pound through walls and grab Marilyn whenever the ape decides it’s been too long since he’s felt such supple skin, too. For shots farther away with Marilyn, the ape carries a doll in a red dress.

The ape costume is fuzzier than you’re probably expecting, as it’s covered in this curly brown hair, more so than just rubber. There are also peculiar close-ups of him in which the actor slightly moves the mask’s lips. It comes off like a tic because it isn’t really expressive apart from the fact that he’s usually doing it while watching something he shouldn’t. It’s also not flattering at all; the ape has a beer gut, a lumpy butt that’s bulbous in all the wrong places, and giant dark salami areolas.

The ape’s journey from the sea to Seoul is filled with awkward detours. He scares a bunch of kids on the playground, he lip-quiver-stares at a couple who have reluctant sex through a skyscraper window, and he dances some more as helicopters fly above him in the desert while Marilyn hides in a cave. After finally swatting one out of the air, he flips off the camera. The ending sees him throwing rocks down a mountain to cause a rockslide in an effort to continue the comparisons to Donkey Kong.

The other instances of 3-D are rather bizarre. A soldier pulling up to one of the destroyed towns drives straight into a steel beam that crashes through his windshield and attempts to be a close call like the log sequence in Final Destination 2. The ape throws a snake directly at the camera, which immediately falls over. An action movie is being filmed when the ape shows up. They shoot flaming arrows at him that fly at the screen on strings. There’s a pool sequence where the pool stick comes at the camera before the break. The ape also throws rocks at tanks and the army when they start shooting at him, which are also on strings.

Worth Its Weight In Unintended Comedy

The dialogue is full of cringe as well. When news of the ape first starts making the rounds and people aren’t taking it seriously, the police captain is in the dining room with his family and states, “Eat your breakfast, kids, or I’ll become a monster! Rawr!” Colonel Davis (Alex Nichol) serves as the Secretary of Defense, spending the majority of the film on a telephone in a room that echoes like a public bathroom. He also yells at his assistant, who seems to take notes in a planning calendar. Davis makes it a point to exclaim, “If you happen to run into him, ask him if his name is King Kong!” His facial expression and body language imply that Davis thought he really ate with that line.

Upon Marilyn’s first kidnapping by the ape, the army sends in helicopters while Captain Kim (Lee Nak-hoon) and the police stumped upon how to reach them. Tom’s big plan is to run in to save Marilyn, which somehow works because that’s the power of blue-jean bell bottoms. As Tom and Marilyn are seen driving in the city, Marilyn says, “Take it easy, Tom! Somehow I felt more safe with the ape than I do with your driving.”

And finally, after the ape is finally dealt with in the only logical way after causing so many deaths and nearly destroying all of Seoul, Tom ends the film with, “He’s just too big for a small world like ours.”

Tom claims to be a reporter and never actually reports anything. He and Marilyn joke about getting married throughout the film, which is odd, since it sounds like they were essentially just a Tinder hookup before all of this. Captain Kim has two kids who have no dialogue. Every time they’re shown on screen, they’re laughing, sometimes for full minutes at a time, at the ugliest damn marionette you’ve ever seen. There are weird helicopter-flying and tank-driving montages because the production worked with the actual army.

A*P*E is an awful film with a conclusion that seems obvious from the start, but it’s also entertaining as hell. The special effects are better than they have any right to be, and the overall cheese is thick with a rich ridiculousness that is surprisingly satisfying. The entire thing plays out like a bad drinking game where everyone was totally smashed halfway through, but had to finish the film anyway. Watch it once, then pretend it doesn’t exist. You won’t be disappointed.

I watched A*P*E via the Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, which is now out of print. The film is currently streaming for free on Tubi, Plex, and YouTube.

By TeeJay Small
| Updated 1 minute ago

Last year it was announced that Hulu would be going the way of the dodo bird after Disney purchased the streaming service in its entirety. With little need for two platforms, Disney execs openly stated that the Hulu app would sunset in early 2026. Of course, early 2026 has now come and gone, and there’s been little word about the future of the streamer, or how existing subscribers will be grandfathered in to Disney+. Thanks to a recent report in Business Insider, we’ve got the scoop on what Disney has planned, though their internal documents seem to raise more questions than answers.

According to an internal Disney memo acquired by BI, the House of Mouse is rolling out a plan called “Project Gemini,” which is on pace to be completed by the end of the year. Despite sounding like a Bond villain plan to steal nuclear launch codes, Project Gemini basically entails ruining the Hulu app until nobody wants to use it anymore. At which point, Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro will take the Hulu app behind the tool shed and give it the Old Yeller treatment. An unnamed employee is quoted as saying, “Hulu is on life support at this point, with no active development,” and steps have already been taken to reduce Hulu staff and respond slower to bug reports.

Killing Hulu Softly

The memo specifies that the plan is to “get folks to migrate organically” to Disney+ “by offering a better experience.” In layman’s terms, they plan to let bugs, glitches, and poor streaming quality consume Hulu, until subscribers quit the app and search up their favorite movies and shows on Disney instead. To facilitate this adjustment, they’re working on migrating watch history, likes, and other user data from one app to the other. Once completed, Disney plans to make their app a central hub for streaming, as well as buying merch and tickets to Disney parks.

If you’ve spent any time browsing Disney+ in recent months, you’ll know that almost everything from Hulu has already been moved over to the new library. Once the last movies and shows are migrated, app support for Hulu will be abandoned entirely. Disney’s official stance is that “The Hulu tech stack and app will be decommissioned after all users have transitioned,” but Business Insider reports “there are no current plans to sunset” the Hulu outlet at all. Meanwhile, certain app stores, such as the Nintendo eStore, have stopped offering downloads and update support to Hulu already.

Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Timelines

So it looks like the initial ‘early 2026’ timeline is firmly out the window, but there’s really no telling when we’ll get a straightforward update. For many subscribers, this is all meaningless, since Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions are largely intertwined. A majority of Hulu users even use a MyDisney login to manage their account on both apps. For others, though, this poses a major problem.

I personally maintain a free Hulu subscription bundled with my Spotify monthly plan. As of June 2026, I have received no communication from any party explaining how my account will be impacted by this new management. Disney and Spotify are not officially linked, meaning there’s technically nothing forcing the conglomerate to grandfather my free subscription into their updated library. So, by the end of the year, I may be part of a small minority clinging to the scraps of Hulu like Jack on the door of the Titanic.

Stripping Hulu For Parts

Losing Hulu won’t be the end of the world, especially if all of the content is migrated into Disney+. Despite my personal distaste for monopolies, I can admit that this change will make everything more streamlined and simple for consumers. Still, the lack of transparency behind the transition concerns me, and makes me feel like executives at Disney are moving with reckless abandon. In a media landscape that already disrespects the consumer at every turn, the least they can do is provide clearer info as they strip one of the largest streaming outlets for parts.

Sean Penn was noticeably absent at the 98th Academy Awards held in March, where he won his third Oscar. In a recent conversation at the Tribeca Festival, the actor opened up about why he was absent from the prestigious ceremony and why he most likely won’t be attending one in the future.

During the candid discussion, the actor also touched on his well-known dislike of taking selfies, a stance he has maintained for years. His comments provide a glimpse into his low-key approach to fame and public appearances.

At the 2026 Tribeca Festival’s “Storytellers” series, Sean Penn talked to moderator Kaitlan Collins about his decades-long career. At one point, Penn addressed his absence from the 2026 Oscars, telling Collins and the audience that he deliberately missed the ceremony because it “always represented social discomfort to me.”

Penn spoke with his “One Battle After Another” co-stars prior to the Oscars and told them he wouldn’t be attending. They understood his refusal, citing it was best for his mental health. The actor flew to Ukraine instead to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and support the country’s war efforts.

Penn further explained that he missed the Oscars not just because it was an awards show. He would also feel the same in any setting with large crowds. “Too many people. I’m now down, committed for life, that I won’t go anywhere to be in a designated group beyond eight people,” he said, adding that large gatherings were “dread-provoking” and gave him “anxiety.”

The Actor Attended The Golden Globes

Penn said attending the Golden Globes in January 2026 cemented his decision to no longer attend those types of affairs. “I went to the Golden Globes. I’d never been to that before. And that’s where I decided, ‘I can’t do this,’” he said, saying that he felt relieved when he decided not to go to the Oscars.

The actor made headlines at the Golden Globes after he was reportedly warned to stop smoking at the event. As The Blast previously reported, Penn was repeatedly approached by event staff to put out his cigarette, but he refused to comply.

Sean Penn Reaffirms His Hatred Of Selfies

Apart from large crowds, Penn also discussed his aversion toward selfies, telling Collings he refused to do it, no matter who the fan is.

“People should not do selfies ever with anyone. It’s bad for you. It’s bad for everyone. It’s a soul-sucker. It’s the Holocaust grandmother and her 6-year-old paraplegic wheeling over? It’s a hard no,” Penn firmly said.

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His stance goes way back, and also extends to fans and paparazzi taking photos of him in public. In 2009, he kicked a paparazzo and damaged his camera equipment, which resulted in a misdemeanor charge. He pleaded no contest to the charges and was ordered to attend anger management classes and do community service. In 2013, he had an outburst over a fan taking his photo, and he was caught on video screaming, “Do we look like f-cking zoo animals? I’ll make you eat your phone!”

The Actor Has Mellowed Over The Years

Penn has had a long-standing reputation as a hothead. In June 1987, the actor was sentenced to 60 days in jail and ordered to pay a fine of $240. On the set of the movie “Colors,” Penn repeatedly punched an extra who was taking photographs of him. He also had a reckless driving charge. The actor ended up spending 33 days in jail.

In February that same year, Penn was given a one-year probation and fined $1,700 for assaulting songwriter David Wolinski, whom he assumed was attempting to kiss his then-wife, Madonna.

During his conversation with Collins, Penn shared that he has learned to walk away from confrontations. “I haven’t had a yelling match with anyone in four years. I have not listened to anyone yell for more than two seconds before I walk away,” he shared.

Sean Penn Enjoyed The Oscars From Far Away

While he didn’t attend the Oscars in March, Penn said he still made time to watch it despite its 2 a.m. airing in Ukraine.

Penn won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw in “One Battle After Another,” and his award was accepted by Kieran Culkin on his behalf. His recent win marks his third Oscar, following his previous Best Actor victories for “Mystic River” in 2004 and “Milk” in 2009.

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“I really got to enjoy the Academy Awards for the first time. It was great,” Penn said of his decision to watch from afar.

Keke Palmer is giving credit where she believes it is due.

While reflecting on her upbringing and family life, the actress and television personality opened up about the important role her father played during her childhood, praising him for taking on responsibilities often associated with mothers.

Palmer shared the heartfelt detail during a conversation with “Euphoria” star Sharon Stone for Variety’s Actors on Actors.

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Reflecting on her earliest years, the former child star described her father as highly disciplined and hardworking, though she said he often preferred to let her mother take the lead.

The actress also praised her father for taking on responsibilities that society has traditionally associated with women, something she believes remains uncommon among many men today.

“He did a lot of things that people would assume are mom things. My dad cooked and helped us with our laundry. If we had a problem with something tearing, he would sew it up. As I got older, I expected men to be like my dad,” Palmer said of her father, Larry.

The Actress Shares Funny Detail About Her Mother

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Elsewhere in the conversation with Stone, Palmer also spoke about her mother, Sharon, who married her father in the 1980s.

She revealed that her mother loved swearing, a comment she made in response to Stone’s discussion of her own mom’s tendency to use colorful language.

Palmer further noted that her household was more matriarchal than patriarchal, echoing her earlier remarks that her father often stepped back, allowing her mother to take the lead in family affairs.

Sharon welcomed Palmer in 1993, nearly a decade after giving birth to her first child, Loreal, in 1989. She also shares twins, Lawrence and Lawrencia, with her husband, Larry, whom they welcomed in 2000.

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Keke Palmer Reveals Parents’ Huge Sacrifice

During Palmer’s childhood, Sharon worked as a teacher while Larry was employed by a polyurethane company. When Palmer began finding success as a child actor, the family made significant sacrifices to support her career ambitions.

Among those sacrifices was her father giving up his pension, while the family also relocated to California so Palmer could be closer to acting opportunities and auditions as her career continued to grow.

“My dad gave up his pension. He had worked at the company he worked at for over 15 years and gave up his pension for me to have an opportunity for my dreams,” Palmer said during an appearance on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast, per Afrotech.

She added, “My mother, they gave up everything. She gave up everything so she could travel with me and do what she needed to do with me. So, how I feel about it is, what’s mine is theirs. What’s theirs is mine, and I would do it again. I would give up and sacrifice 20 more years of my life.”

Palmer’s Parents Took Steps To Protect Her Money

Though Palmer has said she has no regrets about becoming the primary breadwinner for her family at a young age, her parents were careful to ensure there was no confusion about how her earnings were managed.

As her income grew, they hired a manager to oversee her finances, ensuring they were properly handled and protected from misuse.

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“They wanted me to know that they weren’t the ones controlling my money. They had heard these stories, and my mom said, ‘I don’t want money to come in between me and my child,’” Palmer told the podcast host.

Keke Palmer On How She Learned Early To Give Back

A value Palmer’s parents worked hard to instill in her as her career flourished was the importance of giving back to the community.

From a young age, they involved her in community service efforts to ensure she remained grounded, remembered what truly mattered, and understood the importance of helping others during times of need.

“So, from the beginning, we would take her to do events with the NAACP, the MLK Foundation, and the Boys and Girls Club,” Sharon told Essence in an interview. “The goal was to keep her rooted in the community, to make sure she learned that a good life is a life of service and when much is given, there is a responsibility to give back in return.”

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The jokes about Love Island USA‘s Gabriel Vasconcelos having sex with a woman nearly 30 years older than him kept on coming — and the Peacock show even got Leonardo DiCaprio involved.

During the Friday, June 5, episode, narrator Iain Stirling poked fun at Gabriel’s revelation by comparing him to a “reverse Leonardo DiCaprio” in reference to the actor’s dating history. The joke came after the Islanders had to read out sex facts and figure out which of them it was about.

One of the revelations was that an Islander slept with someone in their 50s.

“I was out and I was having a good time with my friends. She started talking to me and she was hot as f*** for her age,” Gabriel, who is 26 years old, said about his encounter with the 52-year-old. “We had a good night together. She had a lot of experience.”

Love Island USA follows a group of singles who have to pair off in order to stay in the show’s luxury villa in Fiji. The contestants — who are referred to as Islanders — live in isolation in a villa and are under constant video surveillance. They must be coupled up to remain on the show and to stand a chance to receive the prize of $100,000.

While the islanders are filming nonstop for weeks, viewers are watching daily episodes and even get to cast votes that affect couples and the fate of the contestants.

Before season 8 premiered, Love Island USA released a statement directed at the audience, which read, “The Villa runs on good vibes, and so does this community. We love seeing your reactions, opinions, and debates, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.”

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The statement continued: “This is a space for fun, not negativity – so keep it kind, keep it positive, and remember: this is LOVE Island!”

Related: ‘Love Island USA‘ Season 8 Couples: Who Is Still Together? Who Broke Up?

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Love Island USA is all about coupling up — so which Islanders are currently together and which have already called it quits in the villa? Peacock’s popular dating show returned in June 2026 with contestants Aniya Harvey, Beatriz Hatz, Bryce Alakai Dettloff, KC Chandler, Mackenzie “Kenzie” Annis, Melanie Moreno, Sincere Rhea, Sean Reifel, Trinity Tatum […]

In addition to Gabriel, season 8 of Love Island USA features Aniya Harvey, Beatriz Hatz, Bryce Alakai Dettloff, KC Chandler, Mackenzie “Kenzie” Annis, Melanie Moreno, Sincere Rhea, Sean Reifel, Trinity Tatum, Kayda Bosse and Zach Georgiou.

New episodes of Love Island USA are released six days a week — except for Wednesdays — on Peacock.

Michael Gledhill, the son of James Handy’s girlfriend Wendy Gledhill, has been charged over the actor’s death.

According to a press release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office on Friday, June 4, Gledhill, 44, was charged after the Top Gun: Maverick actor was fatally stabbed outside a Tarzana home earlier this week.

“This is not how anyone’s life should end, stabbed in the chest and left dying in the front yard of a home,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman via the press release. “The victim, James Handy, deserved to live out his later years enjoying what he had worked so hard for and enjoying it with those he loved and cared about. Like all murder victims, his life mattered and the person who inexplicably and violently took it must be held accountable for his actions.”

Los Angeles Police confirmed on Thursday, June 4, that they are investigating a stabbing that resulted in the death of Handy.

According to police, the suspect called 911 and stated, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.” Upon their arrival, officers discovered Handy in the front yard of the residence, unconscious and suffering from a stab wound to his chest. He was transported to an area hospital and pronounced dead.

“The suspect was identified as 44-year-old Michael Gledhill, a resident of Tarzana,” officials stated in a press release. “He was arrested and transported to Van Nuys Jail where he was booked for one count of murder.”

Police said that the suspect flagged down nearby responding officers, telling them he was the one they were looking for. He was arrested and held on $2 million bail. Information about Gledhill’s legal representation was not immediately available.

“The suspect resides at the location with his mother, who is the victim’s girlfriend,” officials said. “Detectives believe this is an isolated incident and there appears to be no danger to the public at this time.”

On Friday, Wendy broke her silence on the incident.

“I’m just trying to make it through one day at a time, a minute at a time,” Wendy, 76, told The California Post. “I loved James and my son.”

Related: James Handy’s Suspected Killer Confesses in Chilling 911 Call

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Top Gun: Maverick actor James Handy’s suspected killer was reportedly seen on security footage after the alleged murder. After Handy was killed on Wednesday, June 3, at the age of 81, local California police identified Michael Gledhill as a suspect after he was seen on Ring footage outside the actor’s house, according to footage obtained […]

“I can’t believe my son did it. I’m just trying to … ” she continued before stepping inside her Tarzana, California, home.

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Speaking to TMZ, Wendy claimed her son was diagnosed with schizophrenia but had stopped taking his medication amid his mental health struggles.

Handy, who had 150 acting credits to his name, was known for his roles in Jumanji, NYPD Blue, Beverly Hills, 90210, Law & Order; Profiler, The Young and the Restless, 9-1-1 and more.

“With great sadness I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy,” Handy’s spokesperson told Us in a statement on Thursday.

All in all, the 2020s have been an excellent time for action movies. These are films all about constant movement, exciting combat sequences, and adrenaline-pumping explosions. From suspenseful thrillers to terrifying horror films to unexpectedly hilarious comedies, the action genre lends itself perfectly to being combined with other genres—and these combinations have resulted in some truly exceptional films over the course of the last six years. From 2021 to the present, audiences around the world have been treated both to huge action blockbusters and surprising action indie spectacles. By the time the 2030s roll in, these are bound to be remembered as some of the genre’s best recent outings.

Whether it’s a pure action flick like Nobody, an Oscar-winning masterpiece like Everything Everywhere All At Once, or an animated gem like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, these are some of the greatest action films of modern times that we’re talking about. The wonderful thing about this genre is just how incredibly versatile it is, and as a result, it shouldn’t be the least bit surprising to see how vastly different yet equally entertaining these genre-defining gems are.

6

2021: ‘Nobody’

Image via Universal Pictures

In 2021, both the world in general, and the film industry more specifically, were still right in the middle of a global pandemic. As such, this year’s output of action films wasn’t the highest purely in terms of quantity, but as soon as the conversation veers toward quality, some excellent films emerge. Dune was an incredible sci-fi epic, The Suicide Squad was a surprise hit for the superhero genre, and No Time to Die brought Daniel Craig‘s tenure as Bond to an exceptional (and at times considerably overhated) conclusion. But as the years have passed, the 2021 action spectacle that has aged the best is Ilya Naishuller‘s Nobody.

Only a handful of 2020s action movies are perfect. Nobody may not be one of them, but it sure is one of the most entertaining popcorn flicks that the 2020s have had to offer thus far. Led by an incredible Bob Odenkirk, the film introduced the world to Hutch Mansell, a refreshing action hero who knows how to take a hit just as well as he knows how to be a badass. John Wick copycats have been aplenty since the film’s release in 2014, but Nobody elevates the formula to the stratosphere with its compelling story, the powerhouse performance of its lead, and its commitment to some of the most entertainingly brutal and visceral action of any 2021 film.

5

2022: ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’

Image via A24

Back when it originally came out, the Daniels‘ Everything Everywhere All At Once began to take the world by storm—somewhat quietly at first, and then, all at once. It became A24’s highest-grossing film at the time four months into its theatrical run, but that wasn’t the last surprise it had stored up its sleeve. At the 95th Academy Awards, the film achieved the tremendous feat of earning seven Oscar victories, and it probably deserved to win even more. Though blockbusters like The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick are also guaranteed to go down in history as some of the 2020s’ best action films, it just doesn’t get better than this.

It’s one of the best martial arts movies of the 2020s, but it isn’t the kind of film that’s content with operating within a single genre. It’s an existentialist dramedy, a family drama, a sci-fi epic, and a surreal comedy. Dealing with themes of nihilism, absurdism, generational trauma, and immigration, it truly is one of the most complex and ambitious films that have been made at any point during this decade. It runs for just a little under two and a half hours, and every minute of that runtime is easily spent with a massive smile on one’s face—except for when the tears inevitably start coming.

4

2023: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

After Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse took Marvel fans, animation lovers, and the world in general by storm in 2018, the standard for its sequel was set sky-high. Somehow, not only did Across the Spider-Verse meet that bar, it even surpassed it by quite a bit. It remains the highest-rated film of the 2020s so far on both Letterboxd and IMDb, and for good reason. Though it’s logically best enjoyed by those who already love the Web-Slinger, it’s a film so fun that it should be more than enough to entertain even the most ardent superhero genre hater. As good as 2023 action flicks like Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One and John Wick: Chapter 4 were, none of them were even remotely as perfect as this.

As one of the most ambitious superhero movies of all time, there’s no shortage of areas where Across the Spider-Verse excels. For one, it’s perhaps the single most visually stunning animated movie in history, full of eye-popping colors, adrenaline-pumping action sequences, and visual details that keep coming up in every rewatch. But what really makes this a masterpiece is that, aside from working flawlessly as a sci-fi action epic, it also works flawlessly as a deconstruction of both the Spider-Man mythos and the figure of the superhero. In a blockbuster scene that’s perhaps more full of superhero movies than it should be, masterpieces like this one are all the more appreciated.

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2024: ‘Dune: Part Two’

Before the 2020s, fans of Frank Herbert‘s Dune—easily one of the most groundbreaking and important works of science fiction literature of the entire 20th century—likely believed that no film could possibly live up to the legacy of Herbert’s work. That was before Denis Villeneuve came into the scene. The imagination of the Canadian auteur seemed to match Herbert’s vision like two pieces of the same puzzle, and though 2021’s Dune was as solid as any fan of the source material could have asked for, it’s Dune: Part Two that really blew everyone away. 2024 had other great action spectacles, from Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga to Monkey Man, but Dune: Part Two is on a tier all of its own.

As far as sci-fi action blockbusters go, this is arguably this generation’s The Empire Strikes Back. At the very least, it’s one of the best sci-fi blockbusters of all time, packed with awe-inspiring sequences bolstered by stunning visuals, Hans Zimmer‘s best score of the decade so far, and adrenaline-pumping action scenes. The way that Villeneuve understands the tonal essence and thematic core of Herbert’s source material is worthy of the utmost admiration, and the way he elevates the material through some of the most perfect technical qualities of any action film of the 2020s is no less than what this legendary story deserved.

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2025: ‘Sinners’

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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Ryan Coogler has been delivering some of the greatest action movies of the 21st century over the course of his career, but he really outdid himself in virtually every sense imaginable with Sinners. Only a handful of 2020s horror movies are true masterpieces, and this one’s right up there, a complete revolution of the vampire genre that will likely only get better with age. Winner of four Academy Awards and anchored by its standout ensemble cast and Ludwig Göransson‘s legendary tunes, it’s one of the most near-perfect blockbusters of the decade so far. Films like Predator: Badlands and Superman are also worthy of praise, and One Battle After Another may even be a superior film overall, but purely in terms of what the action genre can achieve, there are few examples from this decade more notorious than this.

The wonderful part about Sinners is just how well it works on multiple different levels. It’s an incredibly entertaining and suspenseful action film, yes; but it’s also a very effectively scary horror film, a complete recontextualization of the vampire genre, and even a remarkably fun and catchy musical at times. This sort of genre juggling is something you don’t often see in modern action films, which only makes the achievements of Coogler and his team all the more worthy of admiration. All those who love horror action movies will find virtually nothing significant to complain about when they watch Sinners, which can already be counted among the best examples of its genres from the 21st century.

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2026: ‘Masters of the Universe’

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

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All in all, 2026 hasn’t really been a particularly prolific year for action cinema so far. Movies like The Rip and Mortal Kombat II have kept fans of the genre perfectly entertained so far, but it’s easy to tell that the action films that’ll end up being remembered as the best of the year still lie on the horizon, from The Odyssey to Dune: Part Three. But so far, the best action film of 2026 is one that probably not many people had on their bingo card as being even remotely as fun as it was: Travis Knight‘s Masters of the Universe, a nostalgia-fueled reimagining of Mattel’s media franchise.

This visually delightful sword-and-sorcery gem may be full of nostalgia aimed at those who grew up loving the adventures of He-Man, but it also sprinkles in plenty of its own modern magic and charm, perfect for young newcomers to fall in love with the franchise in the same way that the grown-ups did decades ago. It’s not particularly well-written and it relies a bit too much on CGI, so it very likely won’t end up being the year’s best action blockbuster by the time 2027 comes around; but as the first half of the year comes to a close, it’s a real treat that the best action flick we’ve had thus far is such an entertaining and energetic reinvention of such a beloved ’80s icon.

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Masters of the Universe

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Release Date

June 5, 2026

Director

Travis Knight

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Writers

Chris Butler

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Producers

Jason Blumenthal, Robbie Brenner, Steve Tisch, Todd Black

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Kyle Richards is throwing her support behind her sister, Kathy Hilton.

Posting via her Instagram Story on Friday, June 5, Richards, 57, defended HIlton, 67, after she stepped down as the grand marshal of the West Hollywood Pride Parade due to backlash from the LGBTQIA+ community.

“My sister Kathy has always been a supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community and will continue to be,” Richards wrote in the post. “As far as ‘MAGA ties’, just because you are acquainted with or associated with or associated with someone in the past or present, does not mean you share their political views.”

Richards continued, “The WeHo Pride Parade is a happy celebratory day. I respect my sister’s decision for not wanting to be a distraction on a day that belongs to the LGBTQIA+ community. Happy Pride!”

Much of the criticism of Hilton’s was around her past association with President Donald Trump. Although she has never shared whether she has voted for Trump, 79, Kathy and her husband, Rick Hilton, socialized with the Trumps in the past.

Hilton announced on Wednesday, June 3, that she would relinquish her role in the annual pride parade.

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“I am honored to have been considered for this recognition and appreciative of the support I have received from members of the community throughout the years,” Hilton said. “My reason for wanting to be involved in this year’s WeHo Pride weekend was simple: to celebrate, support, and share in the joy of a community that means a great deal to so many people. Pride is, and always will be, about celebrating and uplifting LGBTQ+ voices, experiences, and achievements.”

Related: Reunion! Kyle Richards Attends Bridal Shower With Sisters Kathy and Kim

Family first. Kyle Richards put her drama with sisters Kathy Hilton and Kim Richards aside to celebrate her niece Whitney Davis’ upcoming nuptials. “My beautiful niece @whittlesdavis is getting married 💍💞,” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 54, captioned an Instagram pic of herself posing with her sisters and nieces at Davis’ bridal shower […]

Her statement went on, “I respect the thoughtful conversations that have taken place and remain deeply committed to supporting LGBTQ+ causes and visibility, including through my participation in GLAAD initiatives and events, and longstanding support of organizations such as the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation since its inception, Dr. Mathilde Krim, God’s Love We Deliver, and Project Angel Food.”

“My support for the community and WeHo Pride is unwavering. This monumentally important event has always had a special place in my heart, and I will always cherish the experience I had acting as Grand Marshal of the LA Pride parade with my daughter in 2005,” she continued. “Thank you to everyone who works so hard to make it happen, and I wish the community nothing but love, joy, and a fantastic WeHo Pride weekend.”